Kha: "Before
you woke you screamed no at your brother as if to stop him from doing
something, then you said 'No! By Selan, what have I
done?'. So what is it that you did?"Kha: to Git when he asked why we should pick the leader: "Thats what makes us good for the task Git,
I already talked with the Prince here and found him lacking what I see as
required to lead them"** (15) Ajaiyah opens her
mouth as if to speak, then closes it again. "I....he...he died." **(15) Ajaiyah: I had a
vision of his death. And it was because I brought you to the fortress.** (15) Ajaiyah looks away
from you. "I do not know if it is a truthtelling."
**(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: You have been chosen for three reasons.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: You are strangers in this land and so do not bear ties or
bonds to our traditions.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Second, you are servants of the Sheik of the Oasis of the
Palm. And he is in need of aid.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Third, you have released an ancient spirit. And though you
do not know it, you bear the burden of righting this wrong.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: So, should you aid me in this task that I ask of you, you
will have as much help as I am able to grant you.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: The ritual required to choose my successor requires a jewel
known as the Heart of the Lion.(9) Git: /me sighs
and leans forward to speak, counting points off on his fingers, "One: It
does not tae long to make bonds with those who will serve your best interest
with the right incentive. Two: We are not servants of the Sheik. We have nly offered him advice.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: It is called the Heart of the Lion, because our order was
and is dedicated to Kor, the Lion.(9) Git: "Third...
yeah, we're working on Ol Fire face"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Whomsoever bears the Heart will have proven himself or themselves to
the gods, and therefore, win the right of choice.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: You are servants of the Sheik. (smiles)
You say you are not, but there are others who believe otherwise.Kha: "If it is
Truthtelling, I am sorry Ajauyah.
We do not kill unless forced to"(15) Ajaiyah: You did
not kill him. I...I should not speak of this any more, lest it happen.(9) Git: "What
others believe is little concern to me."(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: (smiles)** Kha nods to Ajayah and turns to Marwan **(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: What others believe should be of concern to you, for you can
use that to your advantage. But it is what it is.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Now.(9) Git: "Besides,
should we come to your fortress to seek the gem, it seems we will face those
traitors who do not wish for this succession to take place. No?"Kha: "You are
right we are servents of the Shiek,
Even if the Shiek does not realize it, we are serving
his intrists in a way he is unable to."(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Once you have gained the gem, you will be granted the right,
amongst other things, to choose my successor. And it is my hope, that in your
choosing, that the one who plots against me will reveal himself
or herself.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Wrong.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: No one is permitted to interfere with the testing once it
begins. If interference should occur, they will be struck down by the will of
the god.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Once you have gained the Heart, you also gain the protection
of Kor.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: And once you have taken the bond of salt, no harm shall
befall you.Kha: "Where is
the Heart kept? and can it be viewed without going
though the tests?"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Once you have made your choice, then he or she that succeeds
me is bound by oath and tradition to grant you the protection of the
Everlasting until such time as you leave the Fortress.(9) Git: "And
what restriction is there to whom we may choose to succeed you?"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: The Heart is kept in a cave beyond the Pit of A Thousand
Voices. You will not be able to view the Heart without passing three tests, two
of which you will choose.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: The only restriction is that my successor must come from
within the ranks of the Everlasting. Ajaiyah will
teach you of those who vie for positions of power within our ranks.** (15) Ajaiyah is so
intent on listening that she barely reacts to this. **** Kha smirks at the last
comment **(15) DM: ((please save the log should I be
bounced))(9) Git: "So
we trade a crafty old assassin for an ambition young one? I fail to see the
great promise in that."Kha: "We do
not have to pick one of those Git"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: All things must end, even the lives of those such as I.(9) Git: "Cults
fall as well."(15) DM: The image's eyes narrow at that
comment.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: I do not take kindly to threats, outlander.(9) Git: "No
threat. Simply a truth."** (15) Marwan, the Caliph
of Shadows visibly relaxes. "A truth of Fate,
perhaps." **(9) Git: :settles
in his seat, seemingly bored: "So.. we retrieve
the gem, proving that we are indeed the ones who must choose your successor,
and after that, how long do we have to decide?"** Kha moves over to his
bedroll that he laied out and goes to sleep **(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: You have as many days as the bond of salt. Three...unless other circumstances arise.** (15) Hassan, the White
Opal listens intently, saying nothing. **(9) Git: "May
I ask a more philosophical question?"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: You may ask as many questions as you like, outlander. I am bound
to help you in this.(9) Git: ""What
is the meaning to your Order? What ideal is so important that such means are
necessary to ensure its continuation?"(6) Vrondard: .(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: We have been commanded by the god to ensure that
enlightenment occurs to one and all within the lands of the Grand Caliph. So it
is written and so it shall be.(9) Git: "Define
enlightenment."(6) Vrondard: "How
about this one... what would someone normally get ferdoin this task?"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: The belief in Fate and the knowledge that the Law of the Loregiver is that by which a good life can be led.(6) Vrondard: "Bah!"(9) Git: "Right...
so you're fools and fanatics. Understood."(6) Vrondard: "That
aint answered me question"** (15) Marwan, the Caliph
of Shadows turns to the dwarf. "As I said, you would receive what aid I or
my successor am able to grant you." **(6) Vrondard: "oh...
well then"(6) Vrondard: "I
guess its a favor fer a favor"(9) Git: "What
tests must we pass to gain this gem?"** Kha wakes slowly, **(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Ajaiyah spoke of those, did you not, my sweet?** (15) Ajaiyah stutters,
looking up at the image, saying, "Yes...yes, I did, honored one." **(9) Git: "I
was hoping you would have greater detail to offer"** (15) Ajaiyah staggers to
her feet, brushing herself in earnest. **(15) Ajaiyah: Very
well, I will speak of them. To gain the Heart, you must pass three tests, two
of which will be of your choosing.** Kha stands slowly and
listens **(15) Ajaiyah: You
shall have five choices: the Lion's Mouth, the Bridge of Birds, the Unbearable
Light, Dancing Over the Moon, and the Serpent's Kiss.(15) Ajaiyah: The
sixth test is one you may not choose, and that is to defeat the Guardian of the
Pit of A Thousand Voices.(15) Ajaiyah: The
test of the Lion's Mouth requires you to cross the chamber of a sleeping
lioness. You will not be permitted to carry a weapon, nor shall you have the
protection of armor or spell. You must either escape from the pit or defeat the
lioness in combat.(9) Git: "What
is the Guardian?"(15) Ajaiyah: The
guardian lives within the pit and speaks with one thousand voices.(6) Vrondard: "oy that sounds like fun"(6) Vrondard: "I'll
take the lion"(15) Ajaiyah: The
test of the Bridge of Birds requires that you resist temptation and exhibit
modesty, for as the saying goes, 'Modesty is a bridge of birds, lifting one to
paradise.'Kha: "Do all
of us or can only one of us pass the tests that we pick?"(15) Ajaiyah: The
test of the Unbearable Light demands a feat of firewalking,
walking over coals with bare feet whilst carrying another on one's back. To
pass the test, one must carry one's burden the whole distance and not succumb
to the pain.(15) Ajaiyah: You may
choose the manner in which you take the tests. However, in order to gain the
gem, you will need to defeat the guardian, and that will require your combined
effort.(6) Vrondard: "hmmm
that has promise"(6) Vrondard: "what
if you fail a test... can you just go on to the other ones?"(6) Vrondard: "right
after yasqueel "do
over!" of course"(15) Ajaiyah: The
test of Dancing Over the Moon requires one to bribe
the wind. If you can summon and convince a djann to
carry you from the Tower of Martyrs to the gate of the Fortress, you will pass the test.
However, should you elect this test, the one who
passes it shall not be able to aid you in the other tests.(15) Ajaiyah: Yes,
outlander.(9) Git: "So
we can fail a couple then? Hmmm... I might take my hand
at that temptation test then."(15) Ajaiyah: The
Serpent's Kiss demands that one of you succeed in snake handling a giant cobra.
Kiss the cobra without injury and you shall pass the test.(6) Vrondard: "how
pretty is cobra... that could help decide things there"(6) Vrondard: (is
this)(9) Git: :grins to
the dwarf's comment:(6) Vrondard: "sounds
like a lot of druid stuff to me"(15) Ajaiyah: Believe
me when I say that beauty shall be the least of your concerns, outlander. (smirks)Kha: "What is
in the cave system bellow the fortess, there are
three entrances there, but all seem to be blocked by the image of a white lion
in the dream realm."(6) Vrondard: "too
many animals you have to be nice too"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Those are entrances to the Pit, outlander. None may pass
unless in search of the Heart, and only once you have undertaken a ritual of
purity.(6) Vrondard: "oy... more stuff to do"(9) Git: "Ritual
orf Purity?"(6) Vrondard: "no wonder nobody tries this..."(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: A ritual bath.(6) Vrondard: "Bah!"(9) Git: "Bath... in what?"Kha: "The
entrance to the Pit of a Thousand voices is not sealed though, wowhats to stop us from just
entering there and bypassing the tests?"(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: A bath, outlander. (laughs) A bath
to ensure that one who enters the caves does so with a pure heart, a pure mind
and a pure soul.(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: What, outlander? Enter them, and see.(9) Git: "oh-kay"(9) Git: "I'm
curious. how many times has these succession rights
been carried out before?"** Kha shrugs "I may
have to do that" **(6) Vrondard: "well..
I think I've heard enough"(6) Vrondard: "you
all can yap on more ifnyer
like.. " (starts looking
for food)(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: For as long as we have been,
outlander. Beyond counting.(9) Git: "Interesting
to find so many fools throughout time."(15) Marwan, the Caliph of Shadows: Once this meeting ceases, no word may be spoken between us. There
are more snakes within these walls than those you will find within the caves. I
will try to speak with you once more, when you have the Heart. Do not be
deceived, for there will be many who will seek your favor and ply you with
treasures and honeyed tongues.(9) Git: "Don't
worry, I'm well aware the nature of politics"(15)Marwan, the Caliph of
Shadows: Good. Then it seems I have chosen well.
All that remains is for you to accept.(9) Git: "Of
course, I'm used to dealing with the sane. THis may
be a new experience"